Even Saints Can Die by the Sword

[Richter Abend]

The rhythmic beat of many marching feet sounded through-out the Sacaen plains. The rattling of armor and the clanging of weapons clamored rhythmically with the beat in some sort of militaristic song. It was not as grand as it had been before, as many of the High Officers had broken off with their contingents, arriving at their respective locations, but it was still loud enough to signal any army of their arrival.

With both the his men and Ariston's behind him, Richter was met with a familiar sight. Before him loomed the burnt, charred ruins of of Salvation Point. It's ruined carcass still marked with the wounds inflicted by the Sacaens who had attacked them before. Seeing as wood was obviously scarce in Sacae, either they'd be repairing the fort with mud bricks, or the great army of Etruria would be camping out in a lifeless shell. Ironically, the Church built in honor of the Prophet was the only thing standing, though Richter could only help but wonder how long that would last.

"Alright men, we've arrived!" barked Richter commandingly. "Spread out and set up camp. Until we've gotten a barracks erected, you'll be sleeping in tents." Some of the soldiers groaned, but everyone was eager to get the best spots, so it didn't last long. Richter craned his head to see if he could find Clair's pegasus arriving in the sky. No such luck. Either she was still on the mission or she had failed. For once, Richter would be positive and assume the former. He had faith in Clair's ability to get the job done.

Riding his horse over to Ariston, Richter halted in front of his commanding officer.
"The men are setting up camp, sir," he stated. "What's the plan from here? I'd suggest we rebuild the fort in case of another attack." He nodded to the ground. "The soil here is damp, and the ashes from the wood would make decent brick."

[Morgoth Animus]

OoC:I'm guessing we post here....

Morgoth ignored the dump called Salvation Point, and started putting up his tent near Mavicks yet away enough that there was enough for another tent in between.

I wonder when he's going to talk to me he thought as he threw his 'mattress' into his tent and a 'pillow' and 'sheet' as well. Morgoth then sat outside his tent and began to puzzle once again of dark magic.

[Guinevere von Altenburg]

Guinevere started to set up her own tent as she hummed to herself. She hoped that Officer Feldsky would return from scouting soon, that way they could have their spar. Some of the male soldiers offered to help her set up her tent, as if she couldn't do it herself. She politely refused when they asked, until the soldier from earlier asked in his usual crude way. After he used what he thought was a cleaver line, she stomped on his foot with a smile. As he limped away, she went back to setting up her tent which she soon finished. She smiled happily and looked around, brushing some hair out of her way as she did.

[Love]

Love could not believe she had come this far and had managed to get by without talking to anyone. Maybe that was the wrong thing to do thought. Maybe she should have spoken to someone on her way here. Well she shouldn't blame herself - all that traveling was very exhausting.

Sighing at the mess of people before her, Love was sad she had no tent of her own. Never once she had to worry about getting one.

Oh well, she could sleep out here. Sitting on a nearby treestump, she played with a yellow flower she had picked up from the ground. It was really pretty and it's color was close to matching that female fighter, the famous one Guinevere (people had sad her name many times before).

[Elias]

Elias wasn't 100% sure what he was supposed to have done. One man said to leave, another said to stay, and then both just kind of ignored them. He, personally, decided to go with the second man for a few reasons: First, he wanted to do this because he could totally become a super awesome hero in the army, second because this was much more fun then leaving and these people where obvious were about to do something really cool, finally, and most importantly, the guy had pink hair and that is totally awesome.

So he kinda marched with the rest of the people, a bit out of place with his loud garb, and stopped when they did, dragging Kyro along with him. "This place looks cool. It's all burnt out and creepy and stuff." He said with a smile. He didn't really know what this place was, but it looked like someone hit it with a fire spell... Like a really REALLY big fire spell. A fire spell that didn't work on the church for some reason, which was odd because anima magic was usually super good against light magic... maybe the church was evil! Oh geez that would suck.

[Marcus]

Marcus couldn't wait to get his tent and get a moments privacy. Then it dawned on him that he was still considered a prisoner. Which meant no tent for Marcus. Marcus sighed and walked around the camp site looking for a good conversation.

[Adete]

Adete looks around, marching as he went. He can't remember much of it, somehow, he just melted into the group. Well, at least he got the job.

"Looks like we're setting up here..." Adete stops, and sits down. Even the rythmic marching tires him... "Rythmic... God, the beat is stuck in my head... Maybe a short song..."

He gets out his flute, and quickly begins playing a song, at the exact speed of how they marched. It was a strong, marching song, its simple melody ringing into the air. Nothing extra, just a catchy tune followed with a consitent tempo.

[Guinevere von Altenburg]

Guinevere laid down her spear, helmet, and bag in her tent once she was sure it was secure. As she stepped back out, she took a deep breath. It was nice to take a break. She decided to walk around and maybe find out more about some of the new people. She walked around for a few minutes, saying hi to some of her friends in the unit before spotting one of the new people. Gwen didn't know her name, but she knew she was the girl Lyar had brought back. She made her way over to the girl. "That's a pretty flower."

[Rayl Torien]

OOC: "So it begins..." Quote from Paladin from Diablo II, when first starting the game...

The five who traveled from Araphen:

Sir Rayl the Knight of Redemption, and Ambassador of Pherae.
Evayl, a wandering Songstress and healer who also hails from Pherae
Aevian von Diera of House Diera, a dutchess of Bern.
Aidan of House Lowell, a fallen noble house.
...and an Araphen knight Rayl had accompany them as a messenger.

The trip was uneventful, seeing as they were leaving an established civilization and into the wild, wide open plains of Sacae...so quiet and peaceful...wait, didn't he think this the last time he passed through before returning to Pherae?

Yes, Rayl had as he and Aidan rode at the front of the group, the Araphen Knight at the back. The trip was rewarded with sunshine, and yet...was that the sound of an impending thunderstorm? No, it sounded too...mechanical...too human...Rayl urged Elibe on, who diligently trotted up the steep hill they were riding up, and there below them, a fair distance away...

"Etrurians!"

needless to say the Paladin was alarmed. They must have been planning to attack from Araphen, removing the Sacaen people from their homes to secure an alliance with them, and use them as a base inwards through Lycian soil! Why hadn't he realized this earlier?! Turning Elibe down and riding down back to the others, he looked hard in the eyes of the knight,"Listen to me closely, my brother of Araphen: You must turn back now. Ride fast and ride hard back to Araphen."

The knight however had no clue what was going on, but nevertheless continued listening," From there tell Marquess Darron that Etrurians are rallying in the plains. Have him send out word to the states: They MUST send troops to Araphen as well. The Prophet does not yet know of Araphen's change of heart. We must use this to the best of our advantage. Go!"

now knowing the full message, a 'Sir yes sir' followed suite, and the man turned and rode back down the hill towards his homeland to deliver the news, as Rayl looked to his three companions, and you could see his usually calm expression broken by a mix of anger towards The Prophet, and fear for his people's lives: such was the life of a Patriot...

"We must hurry my friends, yet...I feel as if we should scout them out, getting as close as we can before being spotted..."

[Aidan Lowell]

Riding a horse... wasn't quite what I expected. Much... Bumpier then a wyvern. Much harrier too. Though I think I did well enough, I mean I didn't throw up or anything. That's always good. Aidan sat on the horse along with the other male, marveling at the strength and resilience of the horse as well as appreciating the silence that filled the horse ride.

A fifth, silent, member accompanied them. One that he really didn't even notice to be honest. He sat in the back, bringing up the rear. He figured he was simply a messenger to be sent back when Rayl had scouted the situation and came across something of interest. He was basically invisible against the backdrop of silence the Sacaen plains offered.

A silence that was... disturbed. A sound that wasn't quite natural, but sounded like a natural disaster waiting to happen. He recognized this odd sound instantly... soldiers. An army was ahead, and it seemed Rayl had picked up on it to. Before he even had time to wonder who it could be... Rayl answered that question for him.

"Etrurians!" [/b]

Etrurians.... He knew of their actions. Heck, everyone did. But why here? Didn't they already destroy Sacae enough? Or perhaps... they were returning from the horrible chaos created in Ostia...

Rayl quickly jumped into a tactical mind, relaying a message for the knight that had accompanied them, confirming his suspicion of his nature. A sound strategic move, laying a trap in Araphen... He just hoped that the towns people wouldn't get hurt by it all... They were... Nice to him.

A mixed expression laid on Rayl's face as he spoke to the group, giving his opinion on the situation. Aidan silently nodded. "I agree, there's only four of us here. If we wander in aimlessly, we'll be taken in as prisoners of war... or outright killed." And with a man like you Rayl... that's not a good thing either way. If you died here, Lycia would mourn your loss, moral would plummet, and defense would become more difficult. If captured... you would be tortured for information, and more or less held hostage for your country... People like me... We'll just get slaughtered.

[Aevian]

For a good part of the trip, Aevian had chosen to use her own feet. It wasn't like the horses were going more than a brisk pace to begin with, so it was easy to keep up for long distances in her athletic state. Yawning, Aevian gave up trying to chat up the Araphen courier/knight, and kept going between the two horses. She didn't mind riding with Evayl, but her backside couldn't take being in a saddle for more than a few hours at a time.

Now on her own feet, however, she took the time to look around, hands in her pockets as her cape fluttered a foot off the ground, trailing her legs and blowing in the gentle breeze. Scraping the leather boots against the dirt beneath the tall grass, Rayl's shout startled her from her leisurely pace, bolting to grasp the wooden shaft of her axe, and began looking around, seeing the army being lead through the plains ahead to which Rayl signified.

Even though the rest may have taken to the defensive, in a sense of the word, Eturians didn't necessarily bother her like it did the rest. The army, however, did. Bern wasn't at war with Eturia, definitely not that she knew, even though her cause was to rally defense against the possible onslaught of the Prophet's forces, but that changed when she had learnt that Bern was now in civil war.

"Do you think so? I didn't think we wanted to get involved with the Eturians, atleast not yet."

Aevian didn't want to outright say it, but if this developed into a fight, she didn't want to do anything drastic, in a situation they could not win, that is. If they had an army backing them, then sure, she may take the risk, but they weren't even outnumbered two to one, good odds, if you like to gamble...this was much bigger.

"Not favorable odds at all, if we scout, we should wait until nightfall. You stand out far too much in these plains with such a large horse and heavy, blue armor..much the same as Aidan does."

[Kraft]

Ariston smiled. They were here. He looked at the church. It was damaged, but it stood. Surely Ariston must be as steady as this building.

"Good, High Officer Richter. But today, there will be a mass. Gather your men inside the church. We will sing praises to the Saint and her Prophet." Ariston looked at the young officer.

"You have served the Prophet well, Richter. Please honour me by leading the first mass. The priests will be delighted. I'll lead the second mass and the remaining High Officers will lead the other masses. I expect your men to be ready within an hour. Dress smart. The priests have many things to teach us. It's important." He saluted sternly and gave another ordering look at Richter. Then, Ariston went to change into a ceremonial outfit.

[Love]

Love turned red when the woman she was admiring for her looks came over and spoke to her.

"Why yes. I..found it along the trails." She was hesitant to say anything, for as she did not know if the important looking general was testing her or trying to find out who she was. Biting her lip, she fondled the flower around in her hands randomly shy and bashful of the "stranger".

[Guinevere von Altenburg]

Gwen couldn't help but smile. This girl was adorable. She sat herself down on the ground next to her. She hadn't learned much about this girl, so she figured she could take this time to get to know her. "I'm Guinevere, by the way. Or just Gwen. Either works." She gave the girl a smile.

[Adete]

Adete finishes the short melody, and rubs his head. The beat was gone, that song's tempo drove it out. Well, as long as he was getting paid, he might as well learn the names of specific guys...

He looks over and sees Love and Gwen. Girls... alright.

The bard puts away his instrument and walks over to the two girls and tipped his hat. "Hello. Glorious day we've had, no? I'm glad we have been blessed with such nice weather! How do we all fare today?"